The invention relates to a vehicle locking apparatus for a vehicle using a coupling device according to DE 10 2012 011 420 A1.
The coupling device of a motor vehicle known from DE 10 2012 011 420 A1 for the releasable connection of a pivotally supported vehicle body part component, in particular a vehicle door, a tailgate or front hood, with a structural part of the motor vehicle, includes a first coupling element with two locking wedges supported displaceable parallel relative to one another and a second coupling device interacting with the first coupling device, wherein in the coupled state of the coupling device, the first and second coupling element are coupled clearance-free via abutting wedge faces. The second coupling element is provided with two retaining jaws between which the first coupling element is received, with the retaining jaws having wedge faces with wedge grooves, such that the locking wedges are separated by a drive device causing their wedge faces to engage into and contacting the wedge grooves.
With this coupling device an effective form fit with the retaining jaws of the second coupling element is achieved with only two locking wedges, i.e., in all directions in a plane perpendicular to the locking wedges, both in longitudinal direction (x-direction) of the vehicle as well as in vertical direction (z-direction) of the vehicle. A strong frictional connection is achieved in the direction in which the locking wedge is driven into the wedge grooves of the retaining jaws.
Furthermore it is proposed for this coupling device known from DE 102012 011 420 A1 to provide at least one of the locking wedges with a locking nose at a side edge opposite the retaining jaw, which locking nose during locking moves into a corresponding locking opening within the wedge groove of the retaining jaw of the second coupling element that receives this locking wedge. This results in a complete form fit between both coupling elements also in transverse direction (y-direction) of the vehicle, i.e., in the direction towards the interior of the vehicle as well as towards the outside.
Finally, a conventional vehicle lock is provided for use of this known coupling device for a releasable coupling of a locked vehicle door with a B-pillar of the vehicle, wherein an interior and exterior door handle is provided to operate the vehicle lock as well as the coupling device. The use of both a coupling device as well as a conventional vehicle lock results in high material and installation costs.